Let The Wild Rumpus Begin
by justanoutlaw
Summary: Emma breaks one of Regina's most important rules: don't touch anything. Now, she's stuck as a toddler for a few days.


Snow White loved her daughter, no matter what. She could dye her hair neon blue, wear a trash bag and act like a brat, but it didn't matter. Snow would always love her daughter, every version of her. She would never be over the fact that she missed out on so many years with her, but there was a part of her that wouldn't change the relationship they had developed for the world. It was special, unique.

Even so, she couldn't help but smile with delight after a tiny spell went wrong.

Emma had been practicing with Regina ever since Anna and Elsa returned to Arendelle. She was fully accepting her powers, but knew she still had a bit of ways to go before she was on Regina's level. So, she spent her time with her friend and tried to follow the rules. However, sometimes she got bored. Regina was such a nerd for this stuff and she'd ramble on and on about a topic. While she did just that over love spells one day, Emma ended up breaking one of Regina's rules.

Don't touch anything.

She fiddled with hands on a clock and before she knew it, she was closer to the ground and her clothes were about five times too big for her. Regina had spun around and groaned.

"Your mother is going to kill me."

Regina had quickly found an antidote, but it'd take a few days to take effect. She drove Emma back to the loft and presented Snow and David with their daughter.

"I give to you, a toddler. Don't break her or anything."

Snow and David were in awe at their daughter. She looked just how they pictured she would at that age, with big green eyes and blonde curls that fell at her shoulders. She was so tiny, tinier than the average 4-year-old would be and they figured that might have something to do with her being born early.

Regina explained the situation, adding in that Emma would be fine. The clock was a spell she had been perfecting to help August be aged back into an adult, which she knew was what he would really want. Emma had proven that it still had to be tweaked with.

With that, she left the parents to enjoy a few days with their daughter in a way they never knew her before.

Emma still had her adult mind about her, which made things a bit tricky. When David told her that she couldn't work at the station until she was back to her normal size, she threw a tantrum. She found it hard to avoid the things that adult her would automatically go towards at the end of the day, like beer or coffee. Luckily for her, Snow and David were by her side, helping her every step of the way.

It wasn't until their second night with Emma being younger that David actually took in that all of this could've been a reality for them. Neal was a baby and Emma looked about the size of a 3 year old, even though she claimed she was 4. If the curse had never happened, if they had been given the life they dreamed of…this would've been it. The four of them sitting around the dinner table, Emma in a booster seat and Neal snuggled in Snow's arms as they all ate. He missed his older daughter, but for the moment, he let himself enjoy the picture.

Once the meal was over, Emma hopped up and brought her plate over to the sink. Snow rushed to push a step stool out in front of her, which made her daughter frown.

"The stepping stool is unnecessary." Emma's voice came out so young and soft, yet there was still that sassy edge to it.

"You can't reach the sink without it."

"Yes I can!"

"Fine." Snow moved it away. "Then try."

Emma smirked, her eyes filled with determination. She stood on her tip toes and tried to reach the sink, but she couldn't. David swooped in, holding out his arms to give her a lift, but she shook her head.

"I've got this."

He looked over at Snow, who shrugged. She had known Emma for a few years now and it was best to let her do her own thing.

Putting the plate under her arm, Emma gripped onto the cabinets beneath the sink. She quickly scaled them, before dropping the plate inside. She grinned up at her parents, almost as if to say "Told ya so."

"Alright, alright, Monkey," David playfully grumbled. "You proved your point." He lifted her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "It's getting late. Time for bed."

"It's only 7 o'clock."

"Em, we've been through this. You may be 30, but you're in the body of a toddler right now, you need your rest."

Emma sighed dramatically, but allowed herself to be passed over to her mother. She didn't want to admit that she was feeling a bit tired, she hated that her parents had to take care of her in such a way to begin with. Regina had told her that while she still had her adult mind, she'd feel the effects of a toddler body and boy, did it suck.

Snow carried Emma up to her room and helped her get ready for bed. She stumbled up and under the covers, Snow giving her a soft smile as she tucked her in.

"Do you want me to read you a story?"

"I'm not really a little kid, Mom," Emma said automatically, out of defense.

Snow raised an eyebrow. "Maybe not, but you know Emma, it's okay to enjoy this. You…you didn't get much of a childhood and I know this is only temporary, but still. You can have one now, just for a few days."

Emma chewed her lip. "I'm sorry you have to take care of me."

"Hey, don't be sorry." Snow kissed her forehead. "I would do anything for you, Emma. You're my daughter and this is what I should've been doing for you when you were this small the first time around."

"You couldn't help it."

"Doesn't mean I don't think about what could've been every day."

Emma nodded, she had to admit that she did too. She pointed over to the bookshelf that she had put together for all of Neal's books before he was born.

"There's a few books over there."

Snow smiled and went over, grabbing one of the books off the shelf before sitting back down on Emma's bed.

"This book is called Where The Wild Things Are," Snow whispered, gently before flipping to the first page. "The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief one of a kind."

She read Emma the story of a naughty little boy that sassed his mother and was sent to bed without supper. He would later go on an adventure, meeting plenty of friendly monsters before heading back home…where his mother had left him the dinner after all. Snow was so engrossed in reading a bedtime story to her daughter for the first time, that she didn't notice that Emma had fallen asleep until she shut the book.

Snow kissed the top of her daughter's head. "I love you, my wild one. Sweet dreams."


End file.
